More than 3,000 people have backed a campaign to have Belfast International Airport renamed after road race hero Joey Dunlop.

The legendary rider, from Armoy, Co Antrim, lost his life to the sport he loved 15 years ago in Estonia.

And now fans have called on airport bosses to honour him.

Alan Moore set up the petition on Thursday and it has already racked up more than 3,000 backers.

He told the Belfast Telegraph: “I’m a taxi driver and I’m always up and down to the airports. We have one airport named after George Best who was a great name for the country. Then we have a wee man from Armoy who is five times world champion plus he did a lot of charity work that is never really talked about.

“In Ballymoney, you have the Dunlop Garden and the Dunlop Leisure Centre but there is nothing in the country itself to really honour his name.

“Why not name the International Airport after him to push his name out there and let people know exactly what this man was?”